1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus such as a video cassette recorder (VCR) and more particularly to a tape-loading mechanism for loading a magnetic tape on to a rotary drum according to an M-loading system, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a front view of a tape-loading mechanism of a video cassette recorder (VCR) in a state just before a magnetic tape is loaded on a rotary drum in accordance with an M-loading system.
In FIG. 1, a drum 41 is disposed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle toward a tape-supply side. The drum 41 is formed of a stationary drum 43 having a lead 42 on its peripheral surface and a rotating drum 44 which rotates relative to the stationary drum 43. A tilted guide 46 for winding a magnetic tape T kept in an upright state helically along the lead 42 of the drum 41 through a vertical-direction guide 45 is disposed on a tape-inlet side of the drum 41. A tilted guide 47 for guiding the magnetic tape T which is helically drawn out along the lead 42 and a vertical-direction guide 48 for guiding the magnetic tape T so that the magnetic tape T should be kept in its upright state are disposed on a tape-outlet side of the
When the magnetic tape T thus wound around the drum 41 is started being scanned from a lower edge T.sub.1 of the magnetic tape T to an upper edge thereof by a magnetic head (not shown) on the tape-inlet side of the drum 41, the operation of writing a video signal of one track amount in the magnetic tape T is started. When the scanning of the magnetic tape T is finished on the tape-outlet side of the drum 41, the operation of writing the video signal of one track amount in the magnetic tape T is finished. The video signal can be reproduced from the magnetic tape T by a reproducing head (not shown) by tracing tracks recorded on the magnetic tape T.
In the aforesaid VCR shown in FIG. 1, immediately before the magnetic tape T is loaded onto the drum 41, the lower edge T.sub.1 of the magnetic tape T is located at a position lower than a lead 42a on the outlet side of the drum 41, thereby lying on the lead 42a. Consequently, in the course of winding the magnetic tape T around the drum 41, the lower edge T.sub.1 of the tape T is brought in a frictional contact with a drum surface below the lead 42a on the outlet side thereof and then guided by the lead 42a.
Contrary, immediately after the magnetic tape loaded on the drum 41 is unloaded from the drum, the lower edge T.sub.1 of the tape T leaves the drum 41 while being subjected to a friction such that it is gripped by the lead 42a on the outlet side.
However, such disadvantage influencing the magnetic tape may hardly damage the edge of the magnetic tape having a comparative thickness, for example, in case of VHS systems and the like. On the other hand, in case of a very thin magnetic tape capable of a long time recording/reproduction, for example, the tape edge is disadvantageously damaged.